Telephone communication service providers have substantially increased the number of services they offer in recent years. This has been made possible by the development of technology related to digital signal processing, and large-scale circuit integration, as well as the deregulation of the telecommunications industry and the implementation of a mobile telephony infrastructure. There is a large demand for these services. For example, one service that many consumers desire is the option to purchase prepaid calling time. Consumers who do not have a credit card against which they can charge the cost of a toll telephone call often desire to purchase prepaid calling cards. Prepaid calling cards provide the consumer with a fixed amount of calling time in exchange for the price paid when the card is purchased. Often, a prepaid calling card will provide a lower effective long distance rate than can otherwise be obtained.
However, conventional pre-paid calling services have several disadvantages. A consumer using a prepaid calling card must first call a telephone number of the prepaid service provider. Once this connection is established, the consumer must then dial a Personal Identification Number (PIN). Then, the consumer must dial the telephone number of the call destination. Thus, two long distance calls must be typically be made to establish the connection. Further, the consumer must typically dial more than twenty digits to complete the call. Also, the prepaid service is often unavailable for local toll calls. Moreover, when the prepaid time expires, the consumer must go to a store and purchase another prepaid calling card. Thus, existing methods for providing prepaid calling time to consumers is inconvenient.
Many consumers of prepaid calling services lack the credit-worthiness to obtain toll telephone services on a post-pay basis. Therefore, these consumers find it difficult to obtain mobile phone services, which are normally offered on a post-pay basis for creditworthy consumers. Although some companies do provide mobile phone services on a prepaid basis, such prepaid services also present disadvantages. For example, the consumers of prepaid mobile phone calling time must typically pay higher calling rates. Also, when the prepaid time expires the consumer must return to the service provider to prepay for additional calling time. Moreover, the consumer will be uncertain of the prepaid call time remaining and risks being unable to make a call or complete a call in progress due to the expiration of prepaid time.
Therefore, there is a need for systems and methods for providing prepaid calling services that overcome these and other disadvantages of the prior art.